Blinded
by Tykuiya
Summary: Abandoned...
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Konoha's Hokage looked up from her paperwork to see her assistant standing in front of her desk. "What is it now Shizune? I'm in the middle of a lot of work right now."

Shizune seemed more serious than usual. "Tsunade-sama, a shinobi from the Hidden Village of the Rock is at the gate. Although I don't think they mean harm, but it's best to make sure. After all, I've heard that they don't have a peace scroll with them."

"What the hell?" Tsunade said as she jumped up from her chair. "What do you mean, 'they don't have a peace scroll'? What the hell are they thinking?"

Shizune coughed, "Tsunade-sama, quiet down will you? You're so loud."

Tsunade felt a vein throb but took her assistant's advice. "I'll be down there in a bit to clear up the mess."

Without warning, the office door flew open. A shinobi with black spiky hair and a bandage across his nose panted as he said, "Hokage-sama. There's a shinobi that snuck past the check in. I got here as fast as I could to–"

He was cut off mid sentence as a shinobi appeared in the window (luckily she had one open for air). They had dark purple hair that was pulled into a side ponytail, bangs drifting down. She wore a grey chuunin's vest over a normal fishnet and blue shinobi sirt, white boys shorts, and gloves that covered her hands all the way up to her top knuckle. Her kunai pouch was strapped to her right leg and, to Tsunade's surprise, her forehead protector completely covered her eyes.

"Who are you?" Tsunade questioned, braced for a fight.

Stepping down from the window ledge and facing her, she bowed respectfully, "Sorry, Hokage-sama. I, Mizuko Aroshita, have come in peace requesting your help."

Tsunade was confused. "You want my help? Yet you dare sneak into my village without a peace scroll?" She felt her temper rising.

The shinobi didn't get up from her bow, "Hai."

"What the hell?" The throbbing vein was back. "Go write a peace sroll and then come back to ask for help!" she yelled.

The shinobi, who had called herself Mizuko Aroshita, straightened up. "Sorry, Hokage-sama. I cannot comply to your wish." She pointed at her forehead protector. "I am blind."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Tsunade bottled up her laughter. "Blind?" she asked. "How could a shinobi be blind? They would die in battle."

Mizuko looked quite serious. "If you don't believe me, than I understand. However, I am blind and can still fight enough to earn me the rank of a chuunin."

"Hokage-sama," started the spiky haired shinobi.

"It's alright," said Tsunade. "I'll deal with this." She nodded to Shizune and the male. "You two go into the hall and keep the gossip from spreading."

They nodded and left, closing the door behind them. Turning to the shinobi, she sat down. "What does a blind shinobi from the Hidden Village of the Rock wan from me?" she asked leaning her chin on folded hands.

"Actually…" Mizuko turned her head away. "It isn't a village mission. It's my own personal request."

"What?" Tsunade was really interested now.

Turning back to the Hokage, Mizuko ripped off her forehead protector and tossed it onto the desk with amazing accuracy. "I ran away from my village and am now seeking another." Mizuko had pupil less brown eyes that stared vacantly out the window behind the Hokage's head.

Tsunade picked up the discarded headband. "Any specific reasons for leaving?"

"Unvoiced rejection," she answered calmly. "I was held back in every aspect of training, not by my eyes but by the authority themselves. After all, what good would a blind person be to a village?" Anger grew in her blank eyes. "They didn't believe that could fight as well as them, yet alone be better than them. So what's the point in staying in a village that doesn't care about you?" her clenched fists didn't go unnoticed by Tsunade.

"So you're looking for a new village to belong to, correct?"

"Hai."

"Why didn't you just join the Akatsuki?"

"Because they're the bastards who murdered my parents!" Mizudo's fists clenched tighter, drawing a trickle of blood.

Tsunade leaned back into her hair and turned to face the window. "Do you want revenge?"

Mizuko shook her head slightly. "Revenge won't bring the dead back to life."

Tsunade cocked her eyebrow at the young shinobi. "That's pretty wise for people your age."

The shinobi smirked, "When you're on your own in the world, one must smarten up if they wish to survive."

Tsunade rolled her eyes. _If only he could have learned that._

"Please Hokage-sama. I wish to join Konoha as one of their own shinobi."

"You really want to belong somewhere, don't you?"

"Hai." Mizuko continued to stare out the window blankly. "Hokage-sama."

"What?"

"A shinobi is on their way here. I believe they're reading a book as well."

Tsunade cocked her head to the side trying to figure out what the shinobi meant. She was answered how ever when a shinobi with silver hair, a mask covering his face, forehead protector slanted over his left eye, and a copy of Icha Icha Paradise in front of his face. He held up his hand in greeting, "Yo."

"Kakashi-san, what do you want?" Tsunade asked, surprised that the blind shinobi could hear the shinobi before he arrived.

Looking up from his book, his visible eye curved into a smile. "Naruto needs to become a chuunin already. Sakura and I are tired of these little missions and –" He noticed the person in front of the Hokage's desk. Since they weren't wearing a forehead protector, he doubted they were a shinobi.

"Gomen, ne," he said. "I didn't know you were in the middle of something." He continued to (eye) smile, oblivious to the fact that the person in front of him was 1) a shinobi and 2) blind.

"Kakashi-san."

"Hm?"

"I would like to test Naruto for his chuunin level, even though there is now exam for a while yet." Tsunade said, glancing over at the blind woman. "Come to think of it, bring him to training ground 3 and I'll come by with someone to test him."

Kakashi beamed. "Thank you! Finally, B and A ranked missions! Yahoo!" With that he left, clearly pleased.

"He's really energetic, isn't he?" asked Mizuko.

Tsunade laughed. "I think that's the first time he's let his emotions show."

Opening a drawer, she grabbed a Konoha forehead protector and tossed it towards Mizuko, who surprisingly caught it. Running her finger tips over the Konoha emblem, she beamed.

"Hokage-sama. Is this really happening?" she asked.

"Consider Narrator's chuunin exam your exam to become one of Kenosha's shinobi." Tsunade leaned on her hands to watch the young woman's reaction.

"Thank you so much, Hokage-sama!" If Mizuko wasn't a shinobi, Tsunade would have been buried in hugs.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Ah! Tsunade-baa-chan is so late! She's almost as bad as you, Kakashi-sensei!" A blonde male in an oragne and Black sweatsuit yelled in frustration. Kakashi rolled his visible eye.

"Naruto, be patient for once in your life."

"But sensei," he whined, "I finally get to be a chuunin! Just a couple more steps before I can be Hokage!"

Kakashi chuckled, "Honestly, Naruto. You never change. I still remember when I first met you-" He was interupted by Naruto's screaming.

"BAA-CHAN! YOU'RE LATE!"

Kakashi looked over to see the Hokage and a shinobi that seemed oddly familiar. Naruto looked at the Hokage's companion. They had purple hair pulled into a ponytail, grey chuunin vest over a regular shinobi shirt and white boy's shorts. Their forehead protector covered their eyes and bore the symbol of Konoha.

"Hey Baa-chan! Who's he?" he asked, pointing at the shinobi.

"This," said Tsunade as she held out her hand towards Mizuko. "This is Aroshita-san, your examiner." Naruto narrowed his eyes.

"I've never even seen this guy before! And how is he even able to see?" he asked as he pointed at Mizuko's forehead protector.

"Um.. well..." Tsunade tried to think up a lie. Mizuko stepped up towards Naruto.

"Ears are more helpful then eyes," she grinned. "Genjitsu won't work on me." Naruto grinned back.

"Well I guess it's a good thing that I don't use genjitsu."

"Then let us have some fun." She held up a single bell. "I'm sure you know the drill to this, however there is one key difference." She handed the bell to Naruto. "Protect it well." With an 'okay' from Tsunade, Mizuko disappeared into the dense forest.

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Hey its me, Tykuiya! If you guys are reading this...REVEIW PLEASE!!! im reveiw deprived!!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Naruto wandered through the forest looking for any signs of his examiner.

"Damn. I really don't see the point of this," he complained. Thinking back onto his first chuunin exam, he realized that back then had been more exciting. Sure he was no where near as powerful then as he was now, but that was okay. Suddenly a kunai came flying at him out of no where. He dodged it so that it embedded itself into a tree. Then he saw the explosive tag - "Oh shit!" He ran out of the way just as the explosion took place. However, Naruto didn't have time to breathe before a shower of kunai came at him from above.

Dodging, as best he could, he searched for his examiner. Luckily they were wearing white shorts so he was able to catch a glimpse of them. Throwing his own kunai at them, he grinned. A shinobi without using their eyes were completely defenseless... most of the time. Tsunade-baa-chan was really being unfair. He felt a knife pressed against his throat and a hand reach for the bell which hung from his belt.

POOF! He disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Mizuko cursed under her breath, "Baka Bounchi no Jitsu." Then she grinned, "Now I can have a bit more fun against this genin." With that she melted into the earth.

Naruto had stopped thinking about the past and how much he wanted a bowl of ramen, and concentrated fully on his 'exam.'

"Damn," he murmured under his breath. "Good thing I had my Bounchi no Jitsu. That guy's really good, though I haven't seen much." He did an inward shudder. "But I didn't even hear him come up to -" He was cut off as a hand grabbed his foot and pulled him into the earth beneath his feet.

Mizuko faced downward towards the boy who had been reduced to just a visible head. "You know, I feel like I'm dealing with an acadamy student right now. Are you sure you aren't one?" she grinned.

Naruto could feel himself losing his temper, "I'll show you what I can do!" He formed Rasengan within his hand and shoved it into the earth around him, breaking it apart and freeing himself. Then using Kage Bounchi no Jitsu, he tryed to throw his opponent off track.

"Now lets see which one is the real one, shall we?" Mizuko asked, a grin growing on her face. _Damnit,_ she thought, _He must be able to create at least 200 shadow clones. Damnit. I need to find the true bell. Listen..._ Mizuko focused all of her concentration onto her ears. Sending more chakra to her ears to hear even better than her already advanced hearing. After a few moments, she heard a bell that sounded slightly different than the others. She ran towards it, flinging explosive tages to the clones that surrounded her. Reaching for the bell, she felt it pull out of her grasp. "Damnit," she said as she heard her target run off into the forest.

Naruto was gettign a bit bored by the challenge the Hokage had set up for him. A twig snapped behind the blonde. Turning quickly, he saw Kakashi. He waved.

"Hey Kakashi-sensei! What'cha want?" He smiled. Kakashi held up his hand in greeting.

"Naruto, Tsunade-sama says that you've gotten your rank." Glancing at the bell, he added, "Also, you have to give me the back the bell." Naruto grinned.

"Yes! I'm a chuunin!" Taking off his bell, he looked around. "So where's Tsunade-baa-chan?"

"Right here." Naruto turned to see the Hokage step out of the tress with the examiner beside her. Mizuko smiled.

"Congradulations."

Naurot beamed, "Thanks Aroshita-san! After all, isn't this what you expect of a future Hokage?" The shinobi laughed.

"Sure is."

"Hey Naruto! Are you listening to me?" Kakashi poked at Naruto's side.

"Hai Kakashi-sensei."

Kakashi held out his hand. "Bell."

"Oh right." Naruto handed him the bell.

"Thank you." Kakashi's voice sounded distorted.

"Kakashi-sensei? Is your voice okay?" Naruto asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Yes and thanks for asking." Kakashi's person flickered for a second, but a second was all Naruto needed.

"He can use genjitsu, can't he?" Forming the single seal, Naruto shouted, "Release!"

Kakashi, Tsunade, and Aroshita faded away to reveal Aroshita holding the bell.

"Thanks, Naruto-kun. This was a fun fight." With that she turned and fleed towards the training ground exit.

"Damnit." Naruto cursed as he followed his examiner. "He got the bell... shit."

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Hey everyone who reads this, I can't update for a few months so bare with me ok? but dont worry, when I can there's gonna be a whole lot! (i already have 4 more chaps on paper hehe) but thanks again to my devoted fans.

O and if any of you are wondering why Naruto calls Mizuko a guy, its because of the way she dresses and the fact that her gender wasnt cleared in the first place.


	5. Chapter 5

Yes! I am back in business! Hope you enjoy the chapter...o and I'm in a writer's block kinda...so if you have any ideas about what should happen PM me!!!! Please!!!

Chapter 5

When Naruto found the Hokage, his former sensei, and examiner, he ran up to Aroshita. Pointing at her covered eyes, he yelled, "HOW THE HELL CAN YOU USE GENJITSU?? YOU SAID IT WOULDN'T WORK ON YOU!"

She laughed. "Exactly Naruto-san. I said it wouldn't work on me, not that I couldn't use it."

Tsunade rolled her eyes while Kakashi tried not to chuckle at this former student's stupidity.

"Naruto," the Hokage said sharply.

"Yes? Did I pass Tsunade-baa-chan?"

"Naruto..." She hit him over the head, sending him into a tree. "HOW THE HELL CAN I PASS YOU WHEN YOU COULDN'T EVEN GUARD A BELL FROM A BLIND PERSON????"

Naruto jumped to his feet and pointed at Aroshita. "HOW THE HELL CAN THAT GUY BE BLIND? HE USED GENJITSU! HE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO KNOW WHAT YOU OR KAKASHI-SENSEI LOOKED LIKE IF HE WAS BLIND!"

Tsunade could feel her temper going again and was relieved when the blind shinobi stepped towards Naruto.

"Listen Naruto-san. Yes, it is true that I am blind, but that doesn't mean that I was _always_ blind."

Naruto rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "Bull."

Mizuko removed her forehead protector so that he could see her vacant eyes. Naruto stared.

"Oh my god! You're blind!" he said waving his hand in front of her face.

"That's what I said."

Kakashi glanced at the shinobi and a light bulb went off. "You were in Tsunade-sama's office earlier weren't you?"

Mizuko grinned. "Nice to know that you sometimes pay attention to your surroundings while you read books."

Tsunade yawned. "Ok, Aroshita-san, you know the way back to my office. Get back there."

"Yes Hokage-sama." Mizuko left towards the village.

"As for you Naruto," she said to the blond genin. "Until you can beat a blind chuunin, you're stuck as a genin."

"WHAT?" he yelled.

_How did I know that was coming?_ Tsunade thought as she rolled her eyes. "And Kakashi-san, come with me." She said as she walked away ignoring Naruto's pleases to improve in rank.

When Naruto was out of earshot and Tsunade had her sake bottle in hand, she turned to Kakashi. "What do you think of Aroshita-san's strength?" she asked.

Kakashi thought for a moment. "Hm...Well it's certainly interesting that he could use genjitsu, considering the fact that he's blind."

Tsunade looked at Kakashi and started to laugh. "What's with you and Naruto? Aroshita isn't a guy! She's a girl!"

Kakashi's eye widened. "He's a girl? But he wears boy's clothes."

Tsunade grinned. "Shinobi! Not civilian! Honestly Kakashi, be a bit more observant and get your nose out of that pervert's books!"

Kakashi hugged his Icha Icha Paradise book to his chest. "They are not perverted books! They are filled with drama, heart break, reunion, and...well..." A very faint blush appeared just below his visible eye.

Tsunade shook her head. "See what I mean? Now what about Aroshita-san?"

"No doubt she's strong," he said, having recovered from the slight shock. "But my question is if she's blind, how can she use genjitsu at the level that we saw it? Not only that but I've never seen her before, besides your office, so how would she know what I look like? And," he glanced at the slightly drunk Hokage. "If I've never seen her or heard of her before, then that means that she's not from our village."

Tsunade smiled, "Well you got me on the genjitsu deal and you're right. She's a former ninja of the Hidden Village of the Rock."

Kakashi raised his eyebrow. "Former?"

"Yup. She's now an ally and friend of Konoha." Tsunade explained. "Now, lets go give that girl the news."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Mizuko paced the floor outside the Hokage's office, since she had shut the window before leaving to test the boy. Eventually she sunk to her knees with her head in her hands.

"Damnit. She's probably thinking about the best way to get rid of me." Leaning her head back against the wall, she sighed. "Next stop, Suna." She picked herself up off the floor just as the Hokage came down the hall with Kakashi.

"Hokage-sama. Kakashi-san." she bowed respectfully.

"Ah! Aroshita-san! Just the person I wanted to see!" Tsunade said as she opened up her office door. "Come in! I've got some stuff for you!"

Mizuko stepped inside and stood in front of the desk, ready to be denied. She could hear the Hokage shuffle papers around her desk and Kakashi's steady breathing from behind her.

"Here," Tsunade said, handing her a stack of papers. "You'll need to fill these out and before I forget," she smiled. "Welcome to Konoha."

Mizuko stood there dumbfounded before the news sunk in. Running her fingers over the emblem that hid her eyes, she smiled, "I...I'm one of Konoha's shinobi." She reached out and took the papers from Tsunade and her smiled fell a little. "Um...Hokage-sama..."

"Yes?"

"I can't read this..." she said as she ran her fingers over the smooth papers.

Tsunade frowned. "Never thought of that one. Kakashi!"

Kakashi looked up from his book. "Hm?"

"You are now in charge of helping Aroshita-san with all future paperwork and such. In other words, Aroshita-san, you are now part of Team Kakashi!"

Mizuko beamed. "Thank you, Hokage-sama!"

"Paperwork?" Kakashi groaned.

"You got a problem with that?" Tsunade snapped.

He held up his hands. "No, I'm good."

"Good. Aroshita-san, I expect those papers in by tomorrow morning."

"Yes ma'am." With that, Mizuko and Kakashi left the office.

As soon as they were outside of the tower, Mizuko started to skip like a kid. "I can't believe she's letting me sta-"

_CRASH!!_ She tripped over an abandoned was bucket, sending water everywhere.

"Ouch..." she murmured, rubbing her shin where it had collided.

Kakashi looked unamused. "You know, you aren't going to pass as a shinobi if you act like a klutz."

Mizuko stopped rubbing herself and got up, feeling for the bucket. When she had it, she up righted it. "Sorry Kakashi-san. I won't let my guard down again." She walked down the stairs while holding the railing. "Um...Kakashi-san?"

"Hm?" he said without looking up from his book.

"If it's alright with you, can I...um...Can I stay with you until I know the village better and have my own place?"

"Come again."

"It's just that I've heard so much about you from my parents, and now I'm in your mercy." she held up the papers. "That and I can't exactly read much. After all, very few things are in brail." She laughed quietly. "But that's the life of a blind man, I guess."

Kakashi sighed, "You've heard of me have you?"

"Yes, but only when I was young, before my parents died. So can I stay?"

"I guess there's no other solution, unless you stay with Sakura-chan."

"A tree?"

"No, a girl who's about the same age as you, I think." He looked at her curiously. "How old are you?"

"Nineteen."

"Are you sure about that? You look younger Aroshita-san."

Mizuko cringed. "Please do me a favour Kakashi-san. Don't call me Aroshita. Call me Mizuko."

"Mizuko, ne?"

"Yes."

"Ok then. Mizuko-san, let me see those papers." He reached over and took the papers from her hands. "And now we're going to my place." He started to run.

Mizuko could hear his footsteps and followed him all the way, only to smack into him when he stopped suddenly. He caught her before she fell thought. Holding her close, a little too close for her comfort, he squeezed himself, with her, through a small window and dropped her onto a bed.

Dropping down next to her, he examined the papers. "Full name...Place of Birth...Date of Birth...Blood type...exedra...I'm going to need a pen..."

Mizuko laid down on the bed. "Mizuko Aroshita, Hidden Village of the Rock, April 20th 1988, Type AB, and I can't answer exedra."

Kakashi glanced over at her. "Nice to know, but I still need a pen."

"Sorry. Don't got one."

"Getting up, Kakashi went to the door. "I'll be back. Don't touch anything." He left.

Mizuko took off her new forehead protector and let her hair fall over her eyes. The vacant brown colour became darker, and blinked out the light that entered them. She frowned. "Damn. I hate when this happens."

"Hate when what happens?" A blurry figure made its way over to the bed from the door.

Mizuko covered her eyes with her arm. "Nothing. Just talking to myself." She flicked open a pocket and took out a roll of bandages and proceeded to bind her eyes.

Kakashi didn't push her answer. "Ok, let's begin. Full name?"

"Mizuko Aroshita. Didn't I give it to you already?"

Kakashi sighed, "Yes but I didn't have a pen."

She chuckled softly, "Just like Daddy said. Absent minded unless he's serious."

"Ok, so that's all filled in. Time for exedras." He hadn't heard her comment. "Parents?"

"Mommy and Daddy. Sorry, but I never learned their actual names."

"Blank then. Siblings?"

"None."

"Ok so scratch that one too. Hobbies?"

"Don't have any." She thought for a moment. "Unless you consider training."

"That'll work. IQ?"

"No idea." She rolled onto her stomach and fingered the discarded forehead protector.

"Ok that's it." He handed her the papers. "You give them to Tsunade-sama in the morning. For now, go to sleep." He got up off the bed. "I'll sleep on the floor."

Mizuko got up from the bed. "No. I'm intruding on you, so you should be allowed your own bed."

Kakashi shook his head. "Women get the bed. Especially ones who have traveled from the Hidden Village of the Rock, switched villages, were a makeshift examiner, and blind all in one day."

Mizuko grinned, "Kakashi-san, how about this? We share the bed." She blushed slightly. "I don't mean in _that_ way, but just so we both have our way."

Kakashi shrugged, "Just don't try any funny business."

"Only if you don't." she said as she unzipped her vest and shrugged it off. "Um...Kakashi-san?"

"Hm?"

"Do you have a shirt I could borrow? Just until I can go get my own that is." She asked.

Kakashi sighed and opened his closet. Throwing random articles of clothing around, he finally found a shirt that he hadn't worn since he was a teenager. Tossing it over to Mizuko, who barely caught it, he said, "Here. Should fit you."

"Thanks." She laid his shirt on the bed and began to take off hers. Kakashi was surprised to see her be so bold, but remembered that she was blind. Then he realized something. One, she wasn't wearing a bra and two; numerous scars ran down her back.

"Do you always go without a bra?" the question slipped out.

Mizuko grabbed his shirt and put it on quickly, backwards. "I thought we agreed on no funny business."

"Sorry, but you were the one changing in front of me." He removed his own vest and pants, exchanging them for a pair of pj pants.

"True enough." Mizuko said as she removed her sandals and shorts (so she was just in her panties and his shirt) and sat at the foot of the bed.

Kakashi pulled down the covers. "It's only a single, so we're going to be close." Stealing a glance over at the half naked woman he added, "If you find yourself being groped while I'm asleep, it just means that you're taking the place of my regular woman."

"And I know what my ass/breasts feel like in someone's hands – completely violated." She crawled across the bed and sunk in under the covers snuggled up to the wall. "Good night Kakashi-san."

Kakashi crawled under the covers with her, but to fit he had to turn to face her. "Sorry," he said to the sleeping girl. "I told you we were gonna be close." He pressed himself close to her so he wasn't hanging off the bed. Her scent drifted to him, causing him to unconsciously sigh. _She smells really good,_ he thought as he faded off to sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Mizuko woke up to find Kakashi's arm draped across her waist and his body pressed against hers. Gently picking up his arm, she replaced it on his own body and crawled over him to get out of the bed. She stretched before getting onto her hands and knees to search for her clothes. She found her shorts and a vest and put them on. She didn't really bother with her own shirt, considering that she couldn't go anywhere with her guide still asleep. Then she unbound her eyes and let the binding fall to the ground in an ungrateful heap.

Walking around with her hand trailing the wall, she found a door, a nightstand, closet and the window (obviously the bed). Walking back to the door, she opened it and walked down a hallway to another door. Trying the knob, she realized it opened to, what she soon discovered, a bathroom. Running her fingers through her hair, she realized that she seriously needed a shower.

Finding the faucet, she turned it until the temperature suited her liking, being careful not the get soaked in the process. She made a neat pile of clothing on the counter and stepped inside the spray of water.

As the water ran over her scarred body, she sighed. _This feels really good._

* * *

Kakashi opened his eyes to the sound of running water. Mizuko wasn't beside him, so she must have gotten up and explored around, discovering the shower. Glancing at the clock on his nightstand, he groaned. Six thirty in the morning was way too early for him to be up. 

_I'll just sleep some more._ He thought yawning. After five minutes though, Kakashi rolled out of bed and trudged to the bathroom to answer nature's call.

When he walked in, however, he turned around sharply. Mizuko was in the shower alright, completely naked and apparently forgot to shut the curtain.

"Kakashi-san? Is that you?" she asked.

"Um...yea." The water shut off and Mizuko rung out her hair.

"Is there a towel I can use around here? I'd hate to have to air dry."

Kakashi walked in and grabbed a towel from the closet. Handing it to her, he said, "Let me know when you're done."

"Yup!" She closed her eyes when she smiled. "Thank you." She took the towel and began to dry herself off.

Kakashi couldn't turn away as Mizuko bent down and dried her legs. She looked up at him with her vacant brown eyes.

"Are you alright?" she asked getting up and wrapping the towel around her.

"I'm fine." he answered.

She frowned. "You can't lie to a blind person. It doesn't work. Besides," she reached out to touch him and let her fingertips glide up his body to his face, sending shivers down his spine. "You're breathing pretty heavily."

He took her hand away from his face. "Maybe it's because there's a _naked_ woman in front of me who feels absolutely no shame in that."

She blushed slightly. "Well sorry that I'm more confident in my body than all the women you seem to be familiar with!" She turned from him and walked towards the door. "I'll let you do what you need to now." She grabbed her clothes and walked out, leaving Kakashi to wonder what just happened. He shrugged and answered his call.

* * *

The pink haired girl paused, her index finger lingering infront of an apartment doorbell. 

"Do I really have to deal with his sorry ass in the morning?" she sighed.

Remembering Tsunade's smile when she had sent the young shinobi off to see Kakashi's 'surprise', she groaned and shook her head. If Naruto got Kakashi another one of the Icha Icha books, she was going to clobber him.

The apartment door swung open to reveal Kakashi, dressed in his usual black shinobi shirt, mask, and an unusual pair of pj pants that were covered in mini pictures of penguins. He leaned against the doorframe and smiled under his mask.

"What do I owe you?" he asked.

Sakura was confused. "Owe you? I don't-"

"Breakfast," a voice said, cutting her off. "You owe me a good breakfast." A girl, wrapped in a towel, walked out from behind Kakashi.

Sakura shifted her glaze between her former teacher and the unknown girl. "Don't tell me Tsunade-shishou sent me here just to find out that you got yourself a girlfriend."

The girl cocked her head to the side. "Girlfriend? Kakashi-san didn't bring that up last night."

Kakashi held up his hands in defense to Sakura's growing rage. "Um...well, you see..." he stammered.

The pink haired girl cracked her knuckles as a vein throbbed on her forehead. "Kakashi-sensei..." she said as she raised her chakra enforced fist. "Prepare to die." She swung, her fist landing a solid punch right into – a chakra enforced palm?

"Please stop throwing punches so early in the morning." the girl in the towel said, holding Sakura's fist in a gentle grip. "I believe there has been some kind of misunderstanding." She let go of Sakura's first and proceeded to rub her wrist, which had suffered a bit of pain from her punch.

Sakura looked at her blankly. "Then how the hell do you explain that perverted sensei of mine and you, in a towel, together at seven in the morning? That and," she looked at the girl. "Who the hell are you?"

She smiled and stepped away from the door, pushing Kakashi back inside. "Come on in."

Sakura nodded and stepped inside, the girl shutting the door behind her.

"Kakashi-san."

"Hm?"

"You can explain to her while I go change." She said as she walked towards the bedroom, running her hand along the wall.

Sakura plopped herself down on Kakashi's couch and glared at him. "Well...Explain yourself, Kakashi-sensei."

He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. "She's new," he said simply.

"New? To the village?"

"New," he answered. "As in our new teammate."

Sakura glared at him. "She's just come onto our team and you're ALREADY seducing her?" She yelled.

Kakashi held up his hands in defense. "I didn't seduce her, I swear! She wouldn't let me sleep on the floor!"

"Bull!" She yelled getting up to punch him.

"Actually, he's telling the truth," the girl said as she walked out of the bedroom. She wore a shinobi's shirt under a green chuunin's vest and white shorts. Pulling on a pair of nylon gloves that exposed her fingertips, she smiled. "So you must be Sakura-san right?"

Sakura nodded, "And you are?"

"Mizuko Aroshita. Pleased to meet you."

Kakashi stared at the girl. "Um...Mizuko-san..."

"Hm?"

"You're wearing my vest."

She laughed. "So that's why it's so big!" She went back into the bedroom and came out wearing a grey vest.

Sakura looked at her new teammate blankly. "How the hell do you get green and gray confused?" she asked.

Mizuko walked over to her and pointed at her uncovered eyes. "I'm blind."

Sakura looked into Mizuko's brown eyes, noticing that they were vacant, indicating her blindness. "So how are you able to fight?" she asked.

"Easy." Mizuko touched her ear. "These work really good with chakra."

"You know, I could fix your sight," she said as she ran her fingers over the girl's temples examining her eyes.

Mizuko pulled out of Sakura's touch. "Um, no thanks. I doubt I'd be able to be a shinobi if I could see."

Sakura shrugged. "You're loss then."

Mizuko shrugged back. "My loss, not yours."

Silence fell on the group, which was soon broken by Kakashi's growling stomach.

"No one goes in the kitchen," ordered Kakashi as he got off the wall and walked into his kitchen. Both girls shrugged in response.

"Um...Sakura-san?"

"Yea?"

"Why doesn't Kakashi-san take his mask off? It's not like he's bad looking or anything," wondered Mizuko.

Sakura stared at the girl. "How do you know what he looks like?"

Mizuko grinned. "I got a good feel of his face when I was in the shower."

Sakura turned crimson. "Wha...He was with you in the shower?"

Mizuko laughed. "No, but he wishes he was!"

Sakura forced her hand to stay in her lap, or else Mizuko would have been given a severe concussion.

Mizuko's stomach let out a small growl. "Ah I'm hungry!" she said getting up and feeling her way to the kitchen.

"But Kakashi-sensei said not to go in there."

Mizuko tossed her damp purple hair over her shoulder. "I haven't eaten in three days and I'm hungry. Besides, he can't complain. I won't be able to _see _his face anyways."

Sakura smiled. "I guess so. Well then, I'm taking off."

Mizuko waved. "Ja ne!"

Sakura walked out the door as Mizuko quietly entered the kitchen.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Mizuko could hear Kakashi indulging himself in a bowl of some sort of cereal. The silver haired shinobi subconsciously covered his face when he realized she had walked in.

"Can I help you?" he asked in a slightly pissed voice.

He was answered by a loud growl. "I'm hungry," she stated.

Pointing at the cupboard, he said, "Help yourself."

"Um…Kakashi-san?"

"Hm?"

"I don't know exactly what you mean. I'm blind, remember?"

Kakashi mentally smacked himself. _She's not normal. She needs more care than your normal everyday person._ He got up and poured her a bowl of cereal. He handed her the bowl with a spoon. "Here." Taking the bowl from Kakashi, Mizuko found a spot at his small table and began to eat.

The cereal was sweet, but not sugary, like honey. After a few more bites, she put down her spoon. "Honeynut Cheerios."

Kakashi glanced up from his refilled bowl. "Yea, so?"

Mizuko shrugged as she polished off her bowl. "That was good," she sighed drinking the last of her milk from the bowl. She got up and felt her way around the room until she found the sink and dropped her dishes in. Feeling her way back to the table, she sat down and rested her head in her arms.

"Kakashi-san?"

"Hm?"

"Why don't you like people seeing your face? It's not like you're ugly or something."

A soft chuckle escaped his thin lips. "The same reason you bind your eyes; don't like people staring."

Mizuko reached out her hand searching for his face. When she found it, she cupped his firm jaw line and slowly slid her hand down, feeling a good couple days worth of stubble. "You're not wearing your mask now."

He took her hand away from his face. "Well you don't have your eyes binded and it's not like you can _see_ my face. And I'm eating."

"Funny. Whenever mother talked about you and food, she said that you would very quickly slip it under your mask when no one was looking."

Kakashi glanced at Mizuko's blank eyes. "Now who the heck would your mother be to know that?" he asked.

Mizuko shrugged. "Dunno." She thought for a moment. "Maybe 'Rin'? But like I already said, I don't know my parent's names."

Kakashi stopped eating. "Rin?"

"Yea, why?"

"Um…nothing." He put his bowl in the sink. "I'm going out for a bit. You stay here," he said as he walked out of the kitchen, replacing his mask.

Mizuko jumped up from her hair. "I want to come."

Kakashi ignored her. "If you can't find anything, just knock on my neighbour's door. She'll find it for you." He went into his room and changed his clothes.

Mizuko followed him and blocked his exit. "I want to come with you Kakashi-san!"

He looked at her firmly as he put on his forehead protector. "No."

She crossed her arms and let him pass her. "Why?" He didn't answer as he waked out of his apartment. Mizuko sunk to the floor and put her head on her knees. "Abandoned again."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Mizuko was used to being on her own. After all, she had been most of her life. But being alone in an unfamiliar place wasn't exactly a comforting fact for the blind woman as she explored Kakashi's home for lack of anything better to do. After an hour, however, Mizuko was bored. Twenty minutes later she found her way outside and slowly explored the streets.

Since it was still early morning no one was really awake, but Mizuko could tell that shops had been open for an hour or so, especially the one that smelt like a field of flowers. Breathing in the intoxicating scents of all the different flowers, she sighed. It smelt a lot like the distant gardens that she often played in when she was still a child.

"Can I help you?" asked a pleasant voice.

Mizuko turned in the direction the voice was speaking. "Actually, I-"

"Oh my god! Are you're the new ninja?" cried the voice.

Mizuko nodded slightly. "And you are?"

"Ino Yamanaka, age 16, single. So what's your name?" she said flirtatiously.

Mizuko scratched the back of her head. "Um…Aroshita…"

Ino seemed to enjoy seeing Mizuko slightly flustered. "So Aroshita-kun," she said as she attached herself to the blind woman's arm. "Have you had breakfast yet?"

"Yes, thank you." Mizuko suddenly felt very nervous. She pried her arm out of Ino's possession, but Ino latched right back on, dragging her out into the streets to a tea house.

"They have the best food here!" Ino jabbered on. "And this is the best seat in the house!" She pushed her captive into a booth and sat beside her. Then handing her a menu, she said, "Order anything you want! My treat!"

Mizuko took the menu and started running her hand over the plastic surface. A waitress came up and took Ino's order, then turned to Mizuko. "I'm really not that hungry," she started. Feeling their eyes on her, she added, "But I'll have a tea, please." Ino seeped pleased and Mizudo breathed a sigh of relief.

"So Aroshita-kun," Ino began. "Tell me about yourself."

Mizuko sighed. _I guess I could tell her some stuff about me, for the tea anyways._

"Well, I-"

"Ino!" called a cheerful voice.

Ino waved. "Hey Billboard-brow! Guess who I'm with!" She clung to Mizuko's arm again.

Ino's friend looked over at the woman in her clutches and smiled. "Hi Mizuko-chan! Nice to see you our an about."

Mizuko nodded and grinned a little at Ino's surprise. "Sakura-san. Funny how I should see you twice in a day."

Ino refused to let her surprise show but both girls could feel it in her expression. "So your first name is Mizuko?" Ino recovered. "And then that would mean that you're…a girl?"

Mizuko nodded as Sakura stifled a laugh. Ino let go of her captive's arm and glared at the other two. "Why didn't you tell me? I honestly thought you were one of the hottest guys on the planet!" Taking a good look at her former captive, she noticed how her eyes were covered buy her forehead protector.

"Are you blind?" she asked.

Mizuko smiled. "Took you long enough to notice." Sensing Ino was ready to burst, she said, "Don't worry. Kakashi-san, Sakura-san, Naruto-san, and Hokage-sama had to be told. You figured it out on your own."

Ino calmed down with the complement, feeling she had one up on her female rival. Sakura slid into the booth and glanced at the menu. After ordering some dumplings, she turned to her new teammate. "Hey Mizuko-chan, where's Kakashi-sensei?"

Mizuko shrugged as she leaned back in her seat. "No idea. He left as soon as he was done and dressed."

Ino's eyes widened. "He did _what?_"

"Slept, exercised his lips and tongue, had his fill, dressed, and left." Mizuko answered calmly.

"He made out with you?!?" Ino screamed as a smile played along Mizuko's lips. Sakura started to laugh through the blush that tinted her cheeks.

Mizuko couldn't hold back the full-fledged grin. "No. Are you some sort of pervert?"

Sakura was on the floor by now. Ino reached out to wring Mizuko's neck. "Start talking like a normal person! God damnit!" Ino screamed as her hands enclosed around the grinning woman's neck.

"Here's your order. Sorry for the wait…um…" The waitress, holding a tray that carried their order, smiled uncertainty at the blonde, purple, and pink haired customers.

Ino removed her hands from Mizuko's neck and sat back in her seat. "Oh. Thank you." She said as they received their order. "So Aroshita-san, you still haven't told me about yourself."

"Yea! I haven't even heard much about you!" Sakura added as she climbed back into her seat and started to munch on her dumplings. Mizuko nodded. "I guess it's fair to tell you. Especially because I'm now on the same team as you Sakura-san." She took a few calming breaths and a sip of her tea. "To start with, I'm from the Village of the Rock. I left because, well, unfair treatment. As you know, I don't keep my blindness a secret." Her audience nodded. "I wasn't born blind, but I did lose my eyesight the day my parents died."

"You're parents are dead?" Sakura asked quietly.

"Unfortunately. They were every child's dream. Always smiling, kind words of encouragement, lots of hugs, and, even though they wear the best shinobi in the village, they seemed to be discriminated against. I was basically considered worthless when they died and I was blinded, but I refused to give up. I continued in my shinobi training, but was held back until I was fifteen. That's when they couldn't deny me the rank of genin. I guess that's because I kicked some star chuunin's ass. Same with becoming a chuunin. I was held back until I could kick some jounin's ass. Sure he was no elite, but really good nonetheless. So in truth, I'm a nineteen-year-old chuunin who's as strong as a jounin. Figure that one out." Mizuko stopped at the sound of a raising arm.

"Yo." Sakura and Ino jumped slightly at Kakashi's sudden entrance.

"Kakashi-sensei! Don't sneak up on me like that!" Sakura scolded.

"If you couldn't hear me, perhaps your skills are weakening." He countered.

"Well if you and Naruto would let me fight every so often, I'd be better!"

"Well, if you put it that way, I don't do much either. Naruto tends to go overboard."

"Then stop him!"

"Why don't you train more?" cut in Mizuko.

Sakura turned to her. "Train more? I already train a lot! Why would I need to train more?"

"Improve your awareness. That's what I had to do to even survive in the shinobi world."

Sakura stopped and stared at her teammate. "Improve awareness?"

"Yes. Sure you won't be able to hear someone walking down the street from here, but you should be able to hear them enter the shop. If you can't hear them, the sense chakra."

Sakura began to see the blind woman in a new light. Both Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-sensei had told their students to always survey their surroundings. She guessed that was what the self-proclaimed jounin meant. Before she could comment though, Kakashi spoke.

"Mizuko-san. How's the paperwork?"

Mizuko furrowed her brow in confusion. "What paperwork? You know I can't do paperwork." Her eyebrows went up with realization. "The paperwork! I totally forgot!" She jumped up, spilling her tea. "I'm sorry, but I've got to go!" She ran out of the teashop.

Ino and Sakura began to clean up the mess as Mizuko walked back into the shop scratching her head. "Um…where am I?"

An animated sweat drop appeared on everyone's head. Kakashi sighed. "Follow me." With that, Kakashi and Mizuko left the shop and the still stunned pink and blonde haired girls.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"I'm sorry, but Tsunade-sama is busy at the moment." Shizune eyed the former rock-nin with obvious disapproval.

"Then can I give you the paperwork?" Mizuko held out a small stack of papers. "I had Kakashi-san help me with them. Too bad nothing is in brail." She shrugged. "Well, I guess that's to be expected though. No one caters to the disadvantaged."

"Are you trying to get me to pity you? Cuz it's not gonna work." Shizune replied coolly as she grabbed the papers from Mizuko's hands. "If that's all, then I suggest you leave." With that the brown-haired medic calmly and silently, stomped away.

The purple-haired kunoichi sighed. "She doesn't like me, does she, Kakashi-san?"

"Not everyone is going to like you right away," he said without looking away from his book.

She stretched. "When do I get to meet them?"

"Who?"

"The rest of the team, of course."

"You already have."

Mizuko laughed. "I met them, yes. But I didn't meet them, ya know. I know the fighting side of Naruto-san, the girly side of Sakura-san, and the I-don't-like-people-seeing-my-face side of yourself. I want to know_ more_ sides of you."

"Hn…"

"So what's happening today?"

"Training."

The kunoichi pumped a fist into the air. "Go training! Go!"

Kakashi sighed. Mizuko was bound to be almost as much trouble as Naruto.

"What the heck is _he_ doing here?" questioned Naruto.

"Naruto-san!" Naruto moved slightly to allow the excited chuunin to glomp a tree instead of him.

"Naruto," scolded Sakura as she went to help Mizuko up. "Mizuko-chan is our new teammate. At least be nice."

"Why should I?" he mumbled under his breath. "I'm still a genin cuz he used genjitsu on me when he shouldn't be able to."

No one picked up on his words except the cause of his loss. Mizuko grinned. So the boy hated to lose.

"Hey Naruto-san?" Mizuko called as she dusted herself off. "Would you stop calling me a guy? I'm a _girl_, ya know."

"Why would I? You're a guy so- Wait! Girl?" Naruto stared at the smirking kunoichi, while trying to comprehend the new information.

"Yes, girl. Do you need me to show you my breasts to believe me?" Mizuko put her hand on her hip. "It's nice to know you're an idiot, ya know."

"Why you…" Naruto created a rasangan and charged at his tormentor, who meekly sidestepped his attack. "Stay still you purple-haired freak!"

Mizuko stuck out her tongue. "Why would I, you idiot!"

"Stop calling me an idiot!"

"Then stop proving my point!" She dodged a kunai that embedded itself into a tree as an amused Sakura and Kakashi leaned against a tree.

"I don't think he likes her."

"Mizuko-san was his examiner after all."

"Yea, but still," Sakura sighed. "He could be less of a child."

Kakashi gave her an amused look. "If you put it that way, then you could say the same thing about his opponent."

"Na. Mizuko-san is good." She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Hypocrite," he chuckled.

"Kakashi!"

The silver-haired shinobi caught Naruto's kunai inches from his face. "Watch where you throw your weapons, Naruto," he said in his teacher voice as he dropped the kunai to the ground harmlessly. "Mizuko-san, Naruto. Come over here."

Mizuko dropped from her perch in a near by tree and sauntered over. Naruto glared at her as they formed a gaggle around the copycat ninja.

"Since Mizuko-san is new to both our team and our village, lets do introductions. Name, age, goal, hobby, etc." Kakashi stated. "Sakura, you first."

The pink-haired kunoichi nodded. "I'm Sakura Haruno, age sixteen. I plan on being the best I can be, in both ninjitsu and medical stuff. As for hobbies, hanging out with people." She nodded to Naruto to indicate that it was his turn.

"Naruto Uzimaki, sixteen years old. I'm gonna be Hokage, and don't you dare laugh at me, Freak!"

Mizuko grinned. "I wasn't, but you've seriously got work cut out for you. Sixteen and _still _a genin."

"And who's fault is that?? Huh?? You damn genjitsu-using freak!" Naruto yelled. Fortunately, he was being held back by Sakura.

"My turn right?" asked Mizuko before she launched into her introduction. "Name's Mizuko Aroshita. I'm nineteen and I plan on becoming an elite shinobi and possibly working in AMBU. Whatever spare time I have is dedicated to exploring, training, and, now, messing with Naruto-san's mind. That is _if_ he has one."

"Damn freak!" Naruto yelled as he launched a punch for the former Rock-nin, who side-stepped his attack.

"Naruto," Kakashi warned.

"But she started it!" The blond complained.

Kakashi ignored him. "Sakura, Mizuko-san, go spar."

Sakura nodded and walked to the center of the clearing. Mizuko followed after a few moments and stood across from her teammate.

"Whenever you're ready, Sakura-san." Mizuko shifted her weight, preparing to move at any second.

"Mizuko-chan?"

"Yea?"

"I'll try not to hurt you, ok?"

Mizuko laughed and then disappeared. "_I'll_ try not to hurt _you_."


End file.
